The Greatest Gift
by NintendoNerd4287
Summary: When Jamie discovers why his father left, Jack comforts him in his time of need. With Christmas drawing near, what gift can he give to Jamie that will mean the most to him? Rated for death.


Ever since I became a guardian, my life's been turned around. I quit messing with Santa's deliveries, or making blizzards the day before Easter. But don't worry, because I'm still the same fun-loving rascal. Just with more... perspective than I had before. I make it a point to visit Jamie and at least spend a whole day with him every year. At least. Sometimes we play all winter long. See, but I'm not supposed to. One important thing about being a guardian is that we're supposed to project the children while still maintaining control over our given job. I almost missed winter in other places of the world recently, and now North thinks that I should focus on the task at hand, only playing with the children when they need me. I disagree. Of course, HE doesn't know that...

* * *

One day in late august, I decided to bring some chilly autumn wind to Burgess. I happened to catch Jamie walking home from school with his friends, and then wave them goodbye when they reached a crossroads. As he walked alone, an almost melancholy expression took his face. Something was up. I landed on the fence, balancing on it as I walked beside him. "Hey, kiddo!"

"GAH!" He yelled, face turning from sad to scared, and dropped him lunchbox. As soon as he recognized me, he just sighed and picked it up.

"Gee, what a great way to say hello..."

"I'm sorry! You just scared me, that's all." He pouted at me in that way that's impossible not to love.

I laughed. "Someone who stood up Pitch Black three years ago is afraid of a little ol' sprite like me?"

He gave a small smile, obviously trying to avert me. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Listen, I have homework to do. Can we play later?"

"Hmm. That's not like you."

"What do you mean?"

I jumped down in front of him and looked him in the eyes. He was so tall now, I didn't have to lean, just tilt my head. "What's wrong?"

He sighed and sat on the edge of the fence. I sat next to him before he replied. "It's just that... Well, mom gave me the 'talk' a few months ago."

I made a goofy face. "You mean about birds and bees and girls?"

That got him to laugh, even if just for a little bit. I missed his laughter. "Yeah, that one. Timmy at school said that he was an accident, and I asked mom what that meant, so she told me. Then I asked her what happened to my dad, and if I was an accident too."

He paused.

"She told me that I definitely wasn't, and that they loved each other very much. Just before Sophie's first Christmas, he died of a rare lung condition. I don't even remember him."

We just sat there in silence, looking at the ground. I couldn't even imagine not having my father. He was the biggest part of my life, right next to Sarah. When I broke out of my thoughts and looked at Jamie, he was crying, holding his face in his hands. none of us said a word. I wrapped my arms around his shaking, twelve-year-old figure and held him close to me. Slowly, he stopped crying and looked at me. Then I finally broke the silence. "Sometimes, bad things happen that we don't understand. So do good things. Life is a balance. In order for something truly beautiful to happen, we may experience something truly tragic. We can laugh together in the happy times and cry together in the sad times, as long as we have each other."

With his face still all red, Jamie smiled at me. "You know you're making me colder, right?"

I let go and jumped away, feeling stupid, and felt a blush spread on my cheeks. He laughed at me. "I liked it, though. Thanks."

"No problem."

* * *

On the first night of December, I flew to Jamie's house to surprise him awake, thinking that he was fast asleep. But as I drew closer, I noticed that all the lights in the house were on. This troubled me. I quickly flew higher, out of sight from his window, and landed on the roof. Then I turned my head upside down and peeked inside. There was a man in a long, black coat with a stethoscope around his neck, holding a suitcase in one hand and a thermometer in the other. Jamie was curled up in bed, covered in a mountain of blankets from his toes to his nose. His nightstand, instead of his resting place for his toy robot, was littered in pills, medicine bottles, water bottles, and an empty box of tissues. The floor beside his bed was even worse, covered in empty bottles and dirtied tissues. His mother stood at his bed side leaned over, petting and kissing his forehead. Then she turned off his light and followed the man into the hallway, shutting the door on her way out. I lifted my head and walked across the roof, hoping that I could hear their conversation. I lowered my ear against it. Still nothing. What was wrong with Jamie? What were they saying? I spied the living room window, wide open, and thought of how much trouble I'd be in if North knew what I was about to do.

I flew through the living room window and quickly closed it before the cold air blew in. When I heard the man and Jamie's mother coming closer, I hid in the kitchen, praying that they wouldn't find me. They sat on the couch and spoke in hushed tones.

"Please tell me it's not as bad as I think it is." She said worriedly.

He sighed. "Well, it ain't no common cold, I can tell you that..."

I heard her sniffle. "Is it what his father had? I thought that the doctors said that it wasn't hereditary!"

"It's not. However, the trait that weakened his immune system is. I don't think it could be anything else."

There was a long pause filled with her quiet weeping before he spoke again.

"I'm so sorry."

She sniffed and choked back tears. "How long does he have?"

I heard him stand up to leave. "If the winter is as harsh as it's been the last couple years, less than a week. If you're lucky, he might live to see one last Christmas. Keep giving him medicine and, no matter what, keep him warm. It's really all you can do."

The words hit me like a freight train. My first believer, and my best friend, was lying on his deathbed. Holding back my own tears, I peeked into the living room. Jamie's mother stood up, opened the door for the man, and quickly shut it as he left. She then turned off the lights and walked into her bedroom downstairs. I walked out of the kitchen when I heard her door shut softly. She started sobbing all over again, loud and audible. As I carefully walked up the stairs, I kept myself from shedding a tear. I was confused. I was angry. Most of all, I was scared. When I reached Jamie's room, I quietly opened the door. The doorknob clicked closed, and Jamie twitched. He turned from one side of the bed to the other and slowly opened his eyes, looking straight at mine. My heart stopped for a split second as I stared straight into those innocent brown eyes.

"Jack" He rasped, giving me a small smile.

His pale face, red nose, and puffy eyes did it for me. A few tears escaped my eyelids and rolled down my cold cheeks as I whispered a response.

"Hey, kiddo. Why so pale?"

He gave a thick, throaty cough. "I'm sick. I've been in my bed for a month, but mom says I'll prob'ly get better soon. Sorry that I can't play with you."

I gave an awkward chuckle, trying to hide the sound of my crying. "It's fine! All I want is for you to get better as soon as possible. We can play later, okay?"

"Okay." His smile faded away, and his eyes began to droop.

I pulled his blanket back over his mouth, being careful not to touch him or make him any colder. "Get some rest. Have sweet dreams."

* * *

I sat on the window seat in North's office, hood up, staring out into the empty whiteness. It was pretty obvious that I wanted to be left alone. That didn't keep North from driving me crazy.

"Hey! What are you doing up here? It wintertime on the east coast. I thought that you never missed a chance to fly to Burgess."

I didn't acknowledge him in any way. Why couldn't he just take a hint?

His expression changed from cheery to concerned. "What's wrong, child?"

Apparently not. I turned to look at him and spoke with venom. "First, nothing's wrong. Second, I'm three hundred and twenty years old. Child isn't really a fitting title." I tried to walk away, but he grabbed me firmly by the shoulder and turned me around.

"Listen, I don't know anything about, um... What's the word? Teenagers? Help me out here. Is it a girl? Or" He gasped. "Is it," he whispered, "a boy? Do you swing that way? I mean, there's no need to be asham..."

I threw his arm off and interrupted him, wide-eyed and blushing. "W-what? I-I just... No. No, it's not anything like that. It's just," I whispered, "something's wrong with Jamie."

He shut his office door and sat in his chair in front of me. "What's wrong with Jamie?"

I told him about the conversation we had about his father and what I heard from the doctor and Jamie's mother, lying about how exactly I heard them. Even though I tried to keep my cool, by the end of the story, I had tears in my eyes trying to escape. Emotionless, North looked at me and said, "Maybe you should take your own advice."

I sniffed. "What?"

"Sometimes, bad things happen that we don't understand. So do good things. Life is a balance. In order for something truly beautiful to happen, we may experience something truly tragic. We can laugh together in the happy times and cry together in the sad times, as long as we have each other."

I yelled at him angrily, "Who cares?! That doesn't change the fact that Jamie is dying and there's nothing that anyone can do about it!"

He calmly continued, "But we can give him the greatest Christmas he's ever had."

* * *

I did everything in my power to keep the cold away from Burgess. As if I was a winter magnet, I stayed away from Jamie's house as well, just to be safe, and controlled the weather from the coast. Meanwhile, North and the other three guardians worked hard coming up with ideas for a Christmas present.

"Um, what about a bike?" Tooth threw out, clearly clueless.

"So he can go out riding? Bedridden?!" North exclaimed.

"I'm sorry!" Tooth spat back. "I just don't know what we could possibly give that would make this situation any better."

There was a long pause before Bunny spoke up. "Me neither, but we have to at least try. He saved Sandy, and therefore helped defeat Pitch and his nightmares. Jamie's practically an honorary guardian. He deserves at least something."

The others nodded. "Agreed." North said, then looked at Sandy. "What about you? Any ideas?"

Sandy thought for a moment, then explained his idea with his floating pictures of sand. First was a picture of Tooth's palace. Then, a golden tube decorated with carved diamonds. Tooth pointed and exclaimed, "His memories!" Sandy nodded. Next was four pictures - a snowflake, an easter egg, a Christmas tree and a tooh - floating towards each other and forming a crown. Finally, a picture of Jack handing the tube and the crown to Jamie. Bunny and Tooth seemed confused. North snapped his fingers! "Aha! You want to give him a crown with elements from all five of us and show him the best moments of his childhood so that he feels like an honorary guardian!" Sandy smiled and gave two thumbs up.

Bunny gave a weak smile. "Well, that's as good an idea as any. Only he will be able to see the crown so his family won't keep it as a sad memory, and the teeth can be returned after he's past..."

All of the guardians looked somber. They passed looks at each other before North finally said, "All right then! Guardians, this is our mission: To give Jamie the best Christmas that we can possibly give him. Even though he may not be with us very long, his legacy will live on. Agreed?"

"Agreed!" said the other three with new-found spirit.

* * *

A week before Christmas, I decided to go to the North Pole and see how the others were doing. When I got there, the four were all gathered around a table, while elves and yetis fetched them random objects, such as paints, brushes, feathers, jewels... and glue. Bottles upon bottles of glue. I cleared my throat. When they heard me, they turned away from the table to look at me, showing me the arts-and-crafts mess covered in golden sand. I was shocked that North had produced something this poor in quality. It was probably Bunny's fault. They all gave a nervous smile. Sandy threw his hands in the air, and Tooth said, "Tada!" I looked at them. Then I walked up to the table to get a better look at what they were making. It was a... crown? Yes, a crown with four points all the way around. The crown itself was made of wood and covered with Sandy's magical sand. One of the points had feathers glued to it, organized to portray Tooth's "hair." Another had a jingle bell glued to the tip of the point with red and green ribbon hanging from it. One was carved differently from all the other points, and was rounded, the side painted like and Easter egg. The fourth point was empty. I looked back at North, who was smiling. "Now all it needs is your special touch." I looked back at the other three, all nodding and smiling. Then I looked back at the crown.

"This... is it?"

They all went nervous again, looking at the ground or scratching their heads. Tooth responded, "Well, we were also planning on giving him his baby teeth back so that he could look at his fondest memories one last time..." I picked up the child's crown. Everyone stared at me, wide-eyed, wondering how I would react. I furrowed my eyebrows and threw the pathetic craft to the floor. Everyone gasped. Even the elves and yetis. I looked at the four of them, furious.

"You think THIS is what he wants?!"

North hesitated, "W-Well, um... No. We know that this isn't what he wants,"

Bunny interrupted him and continued, "But we can't give him anything that's good enough!"

Tooth and Sandy just nodded slowly, afraid of my outburst.

The entire North Pole was silent.

The whistle of the wind could be heard outside.

I sighed.

"You're right."

They all looked at me, surprised.

"I'm sorry. Maybe we should just leave him alone. I mean, what else can we do but make it harder to say goodbye?"

I walked out of the room and quietly shut the door, leaving it colder.

* * *

On Christmas Eve, I was sitting on a tree branch, watching Jamie from afar through his bedroom window. His mother was giving him more pills and liquid. Sophie was nowhere in sight. I wondered if she knew. I wondered how she felt. After all, she was only eight. How exactly do you tell something like that to an eight-year-old? I'm such you could see the somber mood on my face. Why? Why was this happening? He was twelve. What kind of husband could he be? What kind of father? Why couldn't he experience more of life? I looked up at the moon. I said to it, "What is the greatest gift I can give him?" Then I looked at his mother kiss Jamie goodnight, turn off the light and leave his room, shutting the door. Then it hit me. The time that I spent with him earlier that year, when I comforted him... All he wanted was for someone to be there for him. All I did was hold him close and spoke from my heart.

So that's just what I decided to do.

* * *

Jamie just stared out the window, waiting for his friend. He had a feeling that I knew. After all, I hadn't seen him since that first December night. He sighed. Just as he closed his eyes, I tapped the window with my staff, causing his eyes to bolt open again. A grin spread across his face as fast as my frost spread across his window. I opened it and peaked my head inside, grinning back as if nothing was wrong.

"Jack!" He half yelled, coughing afterwards.

"Shh! Don't let anyone hear you!" I whispered urgently, still smiling.

He giggled. Oh, how I loved that giggle.

I closed the window and flew around the room before landing beside his bed, while he laughed like he used to the whole time. I squatted, putting my face right next to his.

"I missed you." He whispered. "I thought that I'd never see you again."

"Oh really? And why would you think that?"

"Well, mom told me the morning after we last spoke that I was sick like dad, and that I was going to die. I thought that maybe you knew, and you had picked a new best friend..."

My smile disappeared. "Why would I ever want to replace you?"

He spoke like it was obvious. "Well, because I won't be here..."

"Physically," I interrupted and continued, "but you'll always be in my memories. I'll never forget the day when you first saw me. When the first human being ever saw me. Jamie you complete me." I placed a hand upon his cheek and looked deep into his sad eyes. "You'll always remain a part of me, no matter what happens. No matter where we go, you'll be here," I pointed to my chest with my other hand, "in my heart."

He smiled at me with a calm face, and in that moment I could tell that he was truly happy.

"Jack?"

"Yes, Jamie?"

"Will you snuggle with me?"

I frowned. "But won't that make you cold? What if... you..."

"Jack, we already know it'll happen. Please, just give me this."

I saw the longing in his eyes, and secretly I longed for the same. I smiled. "Okay." I pulled myself under his sweat-covered blankets, not caring about my comfort, and turned so that we were facing each other. Before he could move himself, I pulled the adorable boy into my arms and held him close, with his face buried in my chest. He held me back. We stayed like this, silent, for what felt like an eternity. You could hear nothing but the cool wind blowing outside. There was nowhere else I'd rather be. I almost jumped when Jamie spoke to me.

"Jack?"

"Yes, Jamie?"

He paused.

"Thank you."

I paused, confused.

"For what?"

I could feel him smile against my cold chest.

"For being my dad."

My heart stopped.

The wind ceased.

My body shook.

I could not contain the overwhelming bliss that he gave me with his words, and I began to cry without end upon his pillow. Somehow, I was able to mutter a reply.

"I was my honor."

And as we savored each others touch, his heart beat slowed gradually until finally, it stopped completely.


End file.
